


Zero Chance

by Willofhounds



Category: Chuck (TV), Jason Bourne Series - Robert Ludlum, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alchoholic Izuku Midoriya, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, BAMF Midoriya Izuku, Bad Parent Midoriya Inko, Bakugou Katsuki Redemption, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, F/M, Gen, Good Chisaki Kai, Hakamata Tsunagu | Best Jeanist Lives, M/M, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Have One for All Quirk, Midoriya Izuku Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Multiple Personalities, Parental Hakamata Tsunagu | Best Jeanist, Parental Tsukauchi Naomasa, Quirk Discrimination (My Hero Academia), Quirkless Midoriya Izuku, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Suicidal Midoriya Izuku, Time Travel, Vigilante Bakugou Katsuki, Vigilante Dabi (My Hero Academia), Vigilante Hatsume Mei, Vigilante Midoriya Izuku, Vigilante Toga Himiko, Vigilantism, loss of soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:35:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23957761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willofhounds/pseuds/Willofhounds
Summary: Three quirkless are sent back in time to stop AFO and Shigarki from killing All Might who never made Izuku his successor. They destroyed the world and by the time a way to stop them was found there was no hope for the world.Destruction or salvation. All of humanity rests on the shoulders of three teenagers.
Relationships: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Midoriya Izuku, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Midoriya Izuku, Alexander Conklin/Tsukauchi Naomasa, Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou, Izuku|Delta|Jason, Kayama Nemuri | Midnight/Snipe
Comments: 42
Kudos: 265
Collections: Great work Keep eyes on





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Viridian](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22304209) by [SilvermistAnimeLover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilvermistAnimeLover/pseuds/SilvermistAnimeLover). 



A/N this is a time travel/soulmate fic. 

Inspired by: Viridian SilvermistAnimeLover

Warnings: M/M slash, Soulmates, Suicidal thoughts, Multiple personalities, PTSD, Abused Izuku 

Betaed by Cat-Tac

Izuku's POV   
  
Thwap. The sound resonated through the arrow protruding from his target's chest, missing their heart by mere centimeters. The man who released the arrow slung his bow over his back before rushing towards the target with a black knife drawn.  
  
The target was a blue-haired man, and he lay sprawled out on the ground. Below him, blood saturated the ground from where the arrow protruded. A hand was desperately trying to free the arrow from his chest. It was too late however as Izuku bent to his side and dug the arrow a little deeper, causing a gasp of pain to escape the man.   
  
Coldly, Izuku placed the knife at the blue-haired man's throat and growled, "This is the end for you Shigaraki. Your reign of terror is over."  
  
Shigaraki laughed, his breaths coming in shallow gasps now, "You may have killed my mentor and I, but you have not saved the world. The world was doomed from the moment we took over. Killing me will only prolong your suffering."  
  
The hollow laugh haunted him. It had ever since the day that Shigaraki and All For One murdered All Might eight years ago. This would be the last time anyone heard that damned laugh.   
  
Izuku slit Shigaraki's throat without hesitation and watched as the light went out behind their blue eyes. Then he waited a few moments, listening to the unnatural silence of the city around him. Then he pulled the arrow out of the man's chest. He wiped the blood off the arrowhead and the blade of his knife. After checking the arrow for damage he returned it to the quiver at his hip.   
  
Arrowheads, knives, and bullets were all weapons that he and other Medusans used. Medusa had been created after the fall of All Might and the other heroes.   
  
Eight years ago, Shigaraki and All For One - a powerful but next to unknown villain - appeared. Together, they killed All Might on live tv. Then, they released horrible creatures known as Nomu. There were different classifications of Nomu, depending on what abilities they had. They had been created by All For One in large numbers in preparation for a war.   
  
Nomus killed anyone and anything they came across. It didn’t matter whether it was a hero or a civilian. All they knew was how to kill.   
  
Izuku, as a quirkless adult, was drafted into the program. Five years ago the intelligence agencies that were banded together found a new metal buried deep within the mines. It wasn’t shiny or pretty to look at but it was sturdy. The problem was in its pure form; it disrupted the quirks around it. That was how they got the idea to turn it into weapons.   
  
With the help of quirkless blacksmiths, the newly dubbed Orichalcum ore became weapons: arrows, bullets, and knives. They were indestructible even against a disintegration quirk. Putting even a single arrow or bullet into a person's body would stop any and all quirks. In nomus, it stopped all of their quirks.   
  
The weapons turned the tide in their wars because of the newfound ability to kill nomus as quirkless. People were beginning to have hope again. Then two years ago they killed One For All. 

It had taken the last of their resources to track down Shigaraki after that. Now, the war was finally over - but at what cost? Humanity was on the brink of destruction and their world was never going to recover. It would only be a matter of time before they all died.   
  
Maybe it was time that he went out on a mission and never came back. The only one who would miss him were Charlie and Echo. Like him, they were a part of Medusa. If you were in Medusa, you didn’t get a name - just callsigns.  
  
The last time Izuku had heard his name was when he was 21 when the program first started. Now, at 26, he was worn down and done with life entirely. The only reason he had fought for this long was to kill Shigaraki. With the bastard dead he was no longer needed. Still, he would not go off not without seeing the others one last time. They had been as close as brothers through all this.   
  
The bunker that they called home was on the far side of town. The entrance was surrounded by collapsed buildings; even nomus didn't go near.  
  
Izuku pushed the broken door to the bunker open and closed it. The air around him was silent and still. The main camp was further in, but it was unusual that someone wasn’t at the door to guard it.   
  
Cautiously, he made his way towards the meeting room. Shadows leapt out at him, reminding him of the fall. Reminding him of the black nomu who hunted at night where they could not easily be seen. His hand never left the knife in his belt.   
  
Voices could be heard in the distance as he approached the meeting room. One of the voices, which he recognized as Conklin, their leader, said, "We have been planning this for years, Echo. There is no reason it shouldn't work. There is no saving this world and we all know it. But if we go through with the plan we could create an alternate timeline that’s separate from the original. Save it from becoming this one."  
  
Alternate timeline? Were they talking about time travel? He didn’t think that was possible. They had lost their time-manipulation quirk users early in the war. All For One wanted their power for himself, but instead of letting him get the power, they had killed themselves.   
  
Pushing open the half-closed door of the meeting room, he drew the attention of the three men. One was a brown-haired man with hazel eyes, who was leaning on a cane. He wore a black t-shirt with a sagging collar from overuse. It revealed a blacked-out soul mark. Anyone who saw it knew that the man had lost his soulmate. Unlike many though he survived the loss.  
  
Alexander Conklin, like the rest of Medusa, was quirkless but he had run the intelligence agencies and combat divisions before the fall. He took sniveling cowards and made warriors out of them. Without him, Izuku would not be the man he was. In all honesty, he probably would not even be alive. The tendons in the man's right leg had been torn to shreds by shrapnel in a bombing run. It was lucky he had not lost his entire leg. But it kept him from going out on missions any longer.   
  
The next man had dirty-blond hair cut short, close to his head, and blue eyes. He was wearing a black combat jacket and BDUs, the same outfit Izuku and the third man were wearing. Unlike Izuku though the man had his jacket unzipped, revealing the grey undershirt. Echo was never one for following protocol. Though five years older than Izuku, he acted like he was younger most of the time. The jackets were lined with kevlar, which would protect from most quirks and weapons. Having one unzipped was asking for trouble.   
  
The third man was only two years older than Izuku. He had shaggy black hair that hung over his grey eyes. He too wore black BDUs and a zipped up black combat jacket. It was Charlie, the only other surviving member of Medusa.   
  
When he saw Izuku, Charlie nudged Echo and cleared his throat. That had the other looking at him.   
  
Conklin looked up, his eyes meeting Izuku's dull green, "How did the mission go? Is Shigaraki..."  
  
"He's dead. I slit his throat," replied the youngest, voice devoid of emotion.   
  
"Come in Delta. I have something that I want you and the others to consider. Its something of a final mission,” Conklin said, waving him inside.  
  
What mission could they possibly have left? The world was ending, destroyed by humans who wished for Shigaraki's death but went about it in the wrong way. All he wanted was peace. Still, it was his duty to at least hear the man out.   
  
Izuku tiredly rubbed his eyes as he said, "Then let us sit and talk about this. Conklin what is this final mission, and why is Echo so against it?"  
  
He trusted Echo. It was Echo who always had his back through thick and thin. It was Echo who taught him how to hack, pick locks, and how to throw a knife. It was Echo who gave him his first bow, which he now treasured above all else.   
  
They all sat at the table that adorned the middle of the room. On it was a lay of the main city and where what was left of their forces were. It wasn’t much, but with Shigaraki dead the remaining villains and nomu would be feeling lost.   
  
A knock on the other door in the far corner of the room drew their attention. Conklin barked, "Enter".  
  
Two women and a man entered. Izuku recognized the man as one of the two people with a time manipulation quirk. If he remembered correctly this one had the stronger quirk. He must have faked his death as protection.   
  
Conklin greeted, "Anna, Seri, Loke. Welcome to the three that I hope will undertake the mission."

  
The three members of Medusa raised their chins. There was silence waiting to see what Conklin would say next.   


Conklin began, "First off I would like to congratulate Delta. You killed Shigarki without any backup. Well done," at the praise Izuku raised his chin, "when we first realized that there was little hope for our world we began to prepare a Plan B. Almanac here has a time manipulation quirk. With two quirk amplifiers and the training he has done, we believe that we could send the three of you back in time, with a small bag each. Exactly when you would arrive is unsure, but we think it’d be between 10-15 years ago. This isn't an exact science. Neither do we have a guarantee that it would work. But if it does, you wouldn't be coming back. It would create an alternate dimension. We want you to go back and kill Shigaraki and AFO before they destroy the world."  
  
Izuku blinked in surprise. They wanted to send three of them into their past selves. Was there even a guarantee that they would keep their memories? There were so many ways this could possibly go wrong, and Alex knew it. But at the same time, if they succeeded then they could save the world.   
  
"What are the chances of this working? If it does succeed in getting us to the past, how are we supposed to find each other? On second thought, is there a guarantee we will even still have our memories?" Izuku asked, his green eyes growing cold as his Delta persona took over.  
  
"Delta, there is about a 50 percent chance of this working. Or it could very well blow up in our faces. But it's our last shot at saving the world. At saving all the innocents," Conklin replied, the man's hand unconsciously touching his soul mark. 

  
Izuku felt for his handler. He really did. They both had never met their soulmates. During the early years of the war, both of their soulmates had died. It was only sheer force of will that kept them going.   


Sighing, he replied, "I'll do it. Anything is better than being stuck here. I want Orichalcum ore and my knife in a bag. We can make more weapons once there. Echo, Charlie you’ve both been through hell. I'm not going to ask you to go with me. But if you should decide to, you would both be welcome."  
  
"You idiot! If you're going then, of course, we are too! We are Medusa, we never leave a man behind."  
  
Charlie nodded his acceptance. There was no way they would let him do this on his own. Echo, was right after all. Medusans stuck together no matter what.  
  
And with that, the fate of the world would be rewritten. 


	2. Delta part 1

Izuku's POV 

It took them just over four hours to prepare. The three men were given a small bag each. Whatever they wanted to take with them to the past had to fit in the bag. 

For his part, Delta chose his knife, a piece of Orichalcum ore, a flash of vodka, a magazine full of Orichalcum bullets, five unattached arrowheads, his dog tags, and a picture. They were all wrapped up into a jacket. It would be too big for him no matter when they arrived but it would be something. The jacket was made of a special fiber that wouldn't allow Orichalcum to interfere with a quirk. They would stop a knife and most bullets as well. The picture was him, Echo, Charlie, and Conklin. It was taken right after everything went to shit. They wanted to have something to remember each other by. Just in case one of them fell in battle. By some miracle the four men were still alive. Broken by the things they had done but alive. 

When they were ready Alex said, "You three did something that was considered impossible a decade ago. Saying that a quirkless taking down the quirked then would have made you a laughing stock. Together you pulled it off. Together you did the impossible. I know I am asking a lot of you right now. I'll ask you once more. Are you sure you want to go through with this? There is no shame in deciding you've had enough."

The three of them kept silent. They would do this no matter what. If they could save even just one life it would be worth it. 

Alex sighed tiredly, "Then let's do this. Good luck you three. May we meet again under happier circumstances."

The three stepped closer to the one who would send them back. Activation of the quirk wasnt noticeable for a moment. Then the world seemed to turn on its head. His eyes grew unfocused at the array of colors. He lost consciousness soon after. 

When he came to his head was pounding. Opening his eyes he found himself staring up at a familiar and yet unfamiliar ceiling. Blinking he couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was his bedroom before his mother kicked him out. 

Looking down he saw that he was much smaller than he expected. If he had to guess he was probably 12 or 13. The bag he had left with was laying over his chest. 

Izuku sat up wincing as his head throbbed with pain. Letting the pain ebb away he checked his bag. Everything was exactly as he left it in the future. He pulled out his jacket and slipped it over his head. Unsurprisingly it reached almost all the way to his knees. With a sigh he pulled it back off stuffing it back into the bag. Unrealistically he knew that he couldn't move around with that jacket on. He would have to get a new one made for combat situations. The next thing he pulled out was his dog tags. He shortened the chain of his necklace. 

His knife went into his pocket for the time being. Later he would get a sheath for it to put it. After that he slung the bag over his shoulder as he stood. Blinking down at his pajamas he sighed. Right he was in his pajamas. He couldn't leave like this someone would bring him back to the house. 

Groaning he changed into a black t-shirt with a green hoodie over it and black pants. He stuffed a jacket that would fit him and a few pairs of pants. Shirts would be easy to come by he just needed pants. 

With that done he moved into the kitchen listening carefully. His mother if she could be called that was snoring in the other bedroom. Good that meant she wouldn't walk on him walking out. Not that she would care that her useless child was running away. She would be happy to no longer have to feed him. 

Opening the cabinets he took all the canned goods he could. They made his bag heavy but not unbearable. Then he stuffed two unopened water bottles in. That would last him a little while. 

The last thing he needed was to visit the basement storage. One of their neighbors had a tent and sleeping bags in there. There was no way he was staying in this house again until he was sixteen. He wouldn't be able to stop himself from killing his mother if he did.

Using the bobby pins he kept with him even as a teenager he picked the lock to the storage room. It only took a few moments to gather the tent and the sleeping bags. With those few items he was off. 

When he made it outside he could see the sun just barely start to peak out. It would be dawn soon and if he wanted this to work he would need to be far away from here. While he doubted the woman that birthed him would care that he ran away she would notice the missing food. So he needed to be as far from here as possible.

Izuku took the back alleys through the city. A few people that were out gave him suspicious glances but didnt try to stop him. Near Takoba Beach he found an abandoned part of the city. Since the beach became a dumping ground no one lived in the area anymore. If there were people they would be the homeless and the squatters. 

Izuku chose an alley that was less than a five-minute walk to the beach. The back of it was blocked by a large wall and two buildings surrounded it. As a hideaway it would be easily defended. He would have to set traps to prevent unwanted visitors from entering his camp. 

As the sun finished rising and the light shone into his alley he began to set up his tent. The first day back in his thirteen-year-old body was spent entirely on making camp and scavenging. At the dump he was able to find an old phone, two pots, a tarp, and wire to start on traps. By nightfall he felt a little better about the security of the camp. 

The tarp was long enough to cut in half. One part was used to keep the rain off his tent. The other would act as a rain catcher. The pots he scavenged took awhile to clean but it was worth it. Izuku would set up a fire in the morning. While it was late summer he would need to prepare when the weather turned. 

As the sun fell on his first night he laid out on the ground by his tent. Plans were already beginning to formulate in his head. Now that he had a base camp set up he would need to raid the nearby police station. 

As it stood the only weapon he had to defend himself was his knife. He would need a bow and time to make his own arrows. Before that he would need to alert the world to his presence and start getting his body into shape. To get the name Delta out there he would need a firearm and extra bullets. Once that was done he would approach one of the local blacksmiths about making more Orichalcum bullets, knives, and arrowheads. Between the three Medusans they would have a good supply as each had carried a piece of the ore with them. It would only be a matter of meeting up. 

Izuku knew that Echo was somewhere in France. The older man was born and raised there. It was only shortly before the fall that he moved to Japan. 

Charlie was a different matter. The man was American by birth but raised in different countries on military bases. When it came out he was quirkless the military families taught him how to defend himself using other means. Out of the three of them Charlie had the most experience. Yet it was Izuku who was chosen as team leader. To the surprise of most of the in-training Medusans Charlie accepted him. It was as if they expected the man to challenge him. He never did and had always been loyal to the younger man. 

They would have to get away from their families to make it to Izuku. There was no telling how long it would be before they were able to. It could be months before he saw his comrades again.

Loneliness filled the man turned teenager's heart. There was no one to trust in this world but then. Alex didnt know them and he would be working on other projects. Contacting him without revealing himself would be difficult. Charlie was better with computers than he was. Now that he had some time he planned on rectifying that. 

If memory served there was an internet cafe fifteen minutes from him. Checking that out would be in his best interest. There he could take free classes online. Running and doing parkour on the way would build up his stamina. 

Tsukauchi's POV 

Fall was just beginning to settle in the air. His trenchcoat was becoming more than just part of his uniform. It was keeping him warm whenever he was out in the field. 

Naomasa just arrived back at the station from the firing range. All officers had to be recertified at the range every year. Due to this he needed to visit the quartermaster for more bullets. His log of when he shot, where, and why was in his hands. 

He took the elevator down to the basement where the armory and quartermaster. When he stepped out of the elevator he froze. The quartermaster's station was empty. Papers were all over the floor. This was not how things were supposed to be. 

Naomasa moved so that he could look over the side of the quartermaster desk. Unsurprisingly the man wasnt there. He noted that the keys to the armory were gone. Now more than ever he wished he was out of ammunition. 

He moved down towards the armory door. It was open slightly and he could hear movement inside. Slowly Naomasa pushed open the door. He could see Quent on the ground unconscious. Besides being unconscious the man didn't look injured. 

On the far side of the room where the side arms were located a person in black was kneeling. Beside them was what looked to be a duffel bag also black in color. Naomasa could see the bulge of the bag. Obviously whoever it was had been here for a while.

Looking closer the detective noticed how small the person was. If he judged on size alone it was likely a teenager. He knew better however. Heroes and villains alike came in all sizes. How tall one was did not account for age. 

Naomasa drew his weapon hoping to bluff the other and ordered firmly, "Police! Put your hands up then turn around slowly." 

The figure froze. Catching criminals off guard usually worked in getting them to surrender peacefully. Glancing at Quent he revised that thought. Or as peacefully as one who took down a fully trained police officer could be. 

A voice distorted by a voice changer said coldly, "I'm sorry, officer but you will need to take a nap."

Naomasa blinked when the figure spun on his heel to face Naomasa. All the man could see was the acid green eyes. The bottom half of the other's face was covered by a cowl. No doubt the voice changer was hidden in the cowl. 

The figure crossed the room in half a second. There was a flash of a silver blade and that put him into action. He jumped back at the half-hearted swipe made for his midsection. There were a few more swipes that seemed to be more of an attempt to corner him than hurt him. It was then that he realized that despite breaking in this person had no intention of harming anyone. All they wanted was to get what they came for and leave. They would knock out anyone they came across. Which meant only one thing. Vigilante. 

Somehow the person slipped behind him. A solid strike to the back of his neck sent him falling face forward. Already his vision was fading out. 

The last thing he heard was, "I'm sorry. I did not intend on hurting anyone while I was here. You forced my hand."

With that the whole world went dark.


	3. Delta part 2

Hakamata's POV 

It was later than normal for his patrol route. Normally he would be at home enjoying his favorite tea during this time. However one of his sidekicks came down with the flu and he was picking up their patrol. It didnt happen very often but he would rather not have them out when ill. Especially in this weather. 

Winter was supposed to be nearing its end but things had only gotten colder. The sky at the moment looked like it was going to snow. Tsunagu was wearing specially designed thermals under his uniform. He was built tall and thin not made for cold weather like this. 

Bad weather or not he always took his patrols seriously. As the Number 4 hero, he had a duty to make sure everyone was safe. Even if he was uncomfortable. A scream from an alley a few yards away drew his attention. It seemed that his quiet patrol was over. 

Just as he reached the alley there was a grunt of pain and the sound of something slamming into a dumpster. As he turned the corner he was a woman clutching her purse and two figures by the dumpster. One was a small give or take five feet wearing all black. He had a much larger male pinned against the dumpster. The larger male had a knife in his shoulder. 

The smaller one fit the description of a recent vigilante. Delta they were calling him. Wore all black with a cowl covering his face. He favored a gun and knives. A pair of zip ties were produced a moment later and the larger figure was restrained. Delta quickly knocked him out before pulling out his phone. As he was dialing he pulled the knife free of the larger man's shoulder. That was when he decided to step in. 

Tsunagu said, "So you're the new vigilante that the police are looking for. You're smaller than I expected you to be. How about you put down the knife and let me take you in?"

Delta looked up sharply the moment he started speaking. Piercing green eyes met his dull green. Shock, disbelief, and fear crossed those eyes a moment later. 

Delta denied taking a step away from his quarry, "No that's impossible. I saw you die!" 

Tsunagu froze. The vigilante saw him die? When? Was it part of his quirk? Could he see possible futures like Nighteye? 

Tsunagu tried to soothe focusing on the fibers of the other's clothes, "Easy there. What do you mean you saw me die? I'm right here in front of you."

The clothes that Delta was wearing were cotton undershirt. That would be easy enough for him to manipulate. Over it was a kevlar vest not easy for him at all. Tsunagu wore one as well for protection just in case something happened. His outward jacket was in fact a sweatshirt. Easier to manipulate than kevlar. Harder than the cotton shirt. It was the same with the pants. 

Fiber Master was ready to be used to capture if it came down to it. Vigilantes were typically those who just wanted to use their quirks freely. Either they were too lazy or didnt have a quirk suited for combat. At one time his quirk was the same but he worked hard and pulled himself out of Gen Ed and into the heroics course. Now he was in the Top 5 of Japan's heroes. 

Delta took another step back his eyes never leaving Tsunagu. He tried to soothe again, "How about we talk about what you saw? After we get this villain to the police station and woman to the hospital."

Something in the other's stance changed at that moment. It was no longer fearful and undecided. Instead, it was back to being the vigilante who slammed someone twice his size into a dumpster. 

Delta growled his voice distorted by a modulator, "Sorry hero but I am not going anywhere with you. See you around Best Jeanist."

He tried to constrict the fibers of the vigilante's clothes. Only for him to twist his way out. The cotton shirt wasnt enough to keep a good hold on the vigilante. The sweats where difficult enough to allow the vigilante to getaway. It seemed he would have to give Tsukauchi and Eraserhead a visit. 

Izuku's POV 

He leaned against a brick wall four blocks away from where he took down the villain. In the almost six months since he came back to the past, he worked out and did jobs as a vigilante. Delta wasnt well known yet but he was making a name for himself. 

A lot of what he did involved hacking into the police network. It was incredibly easy even with his nonexistent hacking skills. He would make a list of files and their pertinent information. Then he would do research of his own. If he was able to make a break on a couple of cases he would drop off the information with Tsukauchi. By dropping off he meant slamming the man up against his car and leaving the file with him. 

Part of him winced internally every time he did that. Tsukauchi from what he remembered of the future before the fall was a good man. There were several high profile cases that he worked. Rumors had it that he was a personal friend of All Might's. Still, he was a stickler for the laws, and until Izuku could make a full kevlar suit he didnt want to risk Tsukauchi shooting him. 

It wasnt that someone had actually seen him beside the detective. He half expected Eraserhead to be the first. The underground hero had been chasing him for a few months now. Never actually seeing him but reports from witnesses would give an accurate idea of his height and gear. 

No, what sent him into a blind panic was what hero had called out to him. Best Jeanist Number 4 on the hero charts. The same hero who had died saving him in the original timeline. Izuku's hands shook as a memory overtook him. 

Flashback

The city around him was barren and lacking in people. This wasnt unusual given all that happened. Tomura Shigarki and All For One had killed All Might the Symbol of Peace. No one felt safe being out on the streets. Not since the villains released the Nomus. Nomus were horrendous creatures. Each color meant different quirks that they used. Most were unintelligent beings but a few had the ability to speak. 

It was rare that anyone left their homes anymore. Supply runs were dangerous for if a Nomus found you it was guaranteed death sentence. The heroes had fallen with their Symbol of Peace. What few were left were planning a counter-attack if rumors were to be believed. 

Izuku had been on his own since he was 16. His mother kicked him out of the house after telling him that he would never amount to anything. Not that he let anyone's words get him down. He stayed on the streets and worked odd jobs when not in school. Not that school mattered now the world was over. 

A crash nearby drew his attention and he froze. A black Nomu came out of an alley with a person in its mouth. From what he knew of the Nomu black one's could see and had super strength with regeneration and shock absorption. 

All he could do was stand frozen as the beast charged at him. His life flashed before his eyes and fear overtook him. The beast had its mouth open to bite him in half like it had done the other victim. Then there was a pull on the back of his collar as if someone was tugging him away. 

Instead of landing with a thump on asphalt he practically flew. He stopped and a warm hand landed on shoulder keeping him steady. Looking back he saw a blond-haired man with a blood-stained denim jacket and pants. His hair was in disarray but considering the circumstances it was understandable. It didnt take his mind a second to supply the man's hero name. Best Jeanist just saved his life. 

He stuttered out, "T... Thank you, Best Jeanist. You saved my life."

Jeanist green eyes were still on the Nomu when he replied, "We are not out of this yet. I need you to run and hide while I take care of this thing. Don't come out until it's safe. Okay?"

Izuku denied in a panic, "You can't. Black Nomus have regeneration quirks. With your quirk alone you will die!"

Best Jeanist gave him a sad smile as he replied, "Kid if there is one thing you need to know about heroes. It's that we are willing to give our lives, even if it's just to save one person' Now go!"

"But..."

"GO," snarled the pro hero as the nomu began charging again. 

Izuku hid himself hating himself for doing it. The hero would be okay. Right? There was no way that he would die like that. 

All thoughts stopped when a body was thrown down the alley. Izuku wanted to throw up as he realized it was only the top half of the hero. His hands shook as he tried to make himself smaller in his hideyhole. 

End of flashback 

Bile escaped his mouth as he threw up what little was in his stomach. He threw up more bile until his stomach was completely empty. He leaned his head against the brick wall in front of him. 

Seeing Best Jeanist again reminded him of why he was here. It wasnt just to stop low-level villains and criminals. He needed to be searching for Shigarki and All For One. He has to stop them from killing All Might. 

Pushing himself off the wall he wiped his mouth. He would have to avoid interacting with the pro hero. It would be easier than most since he was a limelight hero. For the most part, Best Jeanist would patrol during the day. Delta on the other hand would patrol at night. With any luck the only time he would see Best Jeanist was on the news.

As he moved away from the brick wall a voice called out, "If you don't want to be caught by the heroes you had better get a move on."

Izuku's head shot up immediately pinpointing where the voice came from. A man was sitting on the rooftop above him. He had dirty blond hair and hazel eyes. The man was wearing a dark dress shirt and slacks. There was something that he couldn't quite make out on the man's arm. 

Izuku growled in question, "Who are you? Why do you care about what happens to me?"

The man answered with a small smile tugging at his lips, "My real name is just as much as a secret as yours, Delta. However, you may call me Orion. I wish to help you on your crusade as I need help on one of my own."

"How can you help me?"

There was a noise of people nearby. Most likely it was heroes and police. It was time for him to leave but at the same time, he was curious to see what the man wanted. 

Orion dropped a card down to him and said, "Go. If you're interested in hearing what I have to say call that number. I promise you that you won't regret hearing me out. Hope to hear from you soon, Delta."

Just like Izuku would do he slipped into the shadows and was gone. Interesting. This man was certainly worth his time. Maybe just maybe they could find an ally with him. 

The sounds of people coming got closer. He would have to worry about Orion later. First, he had to get away from nosy heroes and make his way back home unseen.


	4. Muscular part 1

Izuku's POV

It took three days from his first meeting with Orion to set up a second. The man might have seemed honest in that first meeting but it didnt mean Izuku trusted him. Many people seemed trustworthy in the original timeline. Only to later betray Medusa. It was only by sheer luck and skill that he, Echo, and Charlie lived as long as they had.

Their meeting place was in the warehouse district. The warehouse chosen was on the end away from the others. Inside the warehouse was empty save for a dirty blond-haired man. Cool hazel eyes watched as Izuku entered. From what he could tell it was only the two of them.

Orion greeted with a small smile, "I was surprised when you called me. Part of me thought you wouldn't make the call."

Izuku growled, "Why do you want to help me, Orion? You know nothing about me."

Orion answered calmly not reacting to the growl, "That's where you're wrong, Delta of Medusa. We who survived the fall."

Izuku's form stiffened. There were only a few people in the world who knew that phrase. It should only be himself, Charlie, Echo. How does this man know?

"You are wondering how I know about the phrase," continued Orion, "Think. I know your name just as you know mine."

He knew the name, Orion? Izuku hummed under his breath as he began to go through his memories. There had to be something within his memories that had to do with the name.

As he thought his eyes trailed over to the man's arm. From the wrist to halfway to the elbow there was what appeared to be a computer. That was when it clicked.

Orion was part of a joint CIA and CIRO operation. It started several years before the fall. The project was something he didnt knows much about. If he remembered correctly Orion disappeared five years before the fall. Then he reappeared after the fall offering to help kill All For One and Shigarki.

Medusa and Orion as a whole rarely interacted. It made sense that Izuku didnt know him. What did not make sense was how he knew that phrase. This should not have been possible yet it was. So how?

Izuku asked bluntly his eyes narrowing as he sized the man up, "How do you know that phrase? How do you know about Medusa?"

Orion replied smirking slightly, "My quirk," he held up a hand to stop Izuku's protests, "My quirk is unlike anything else on the planet. It's a memory quirk. I remember everything that has ever happened to me. Quirks do not affect this."

Did he remember everything then? That would make sense as to why Orion searched for him. If he had to guess the man had something to do with the time travel project.

Izuku questioned for clarity, "So you remember everything?"

"Most of it," he answered honestly, "There are times when I can't remember it all clearly. Part of it has to do with my age mentally. Everything we did to survive and what you did to come back. I wasnt there the first time. I want to help this time."

Orion was one of the best computer programmers in the world. Izuku had theorized that the man had a technology manipulation quirk. It would have made more sense than a memory quirk. Then again he knew things that only someone from the original timeline would know.

Orion continued after a moment, "Have you made contact with Ground Zero? I saw your reaction to Best Jeanist. You saw him die and you blame yourself for something that has not come to pass yet."

Izuku snapped back, "It was my fault that Jeanist died. He died protecting me. It shouldn't have happened like that. As for Ground Zero no I haven't talked to him since my return. Why would I? He hasn't grown from the bully he is now into the hero I know he will become."

Orion sighed, "You could change him early. That's why you're here after all. To change our fates."

Ground... no Bakugo Katsuki would not listen to him. Not with the world experiencing peace. A peace that was false as the villains were slowly building themselves up. It would start with Muscular killing the Water Hose duo.

That murder would show the world how easy it would be to kill heroes. It would inspire those like the Hero Killer Stain. Muscular would not be difficult to bring down. With his weapons, he could bring him down fairly easily. It was a matter of saving the Water Hose before he got the chance to kill them. In the original timeline, Muscular was only taken down when he went with the League of Villains.

They attacked the UA summer training camp. Muscular killed the son of the Water Hose duo. That had been a hit on UA's pride. A lot of civilians lost their faith when a civilian was killed. That wasn't including the fact that a student had been kidnapped and several were severely injured.

That had been a wakeup call for the hero community. They tried and failed to clean up their act before the fall. All Might had been looking for a successor as he was weakened from his bout with All For One. No one knew why he had not chosen one before the fall. There were qualified candidates but none seemed to be what he was looking for.

Katsuki changed after he returned from the kidnapping. The steely determination was still there but his cockiness was gone. His ex-best friend stared death in the face and lived to tell the tale. If only for a few years afterward.

Izuku rubbed a hand down his face tiredly, "What do you expect me to do, Orion? No one would believe me without proof. I just turned fourteen they would either think I'm seeking attention or I have lost my mind. The best option is to work from the shadows as a vigilante and kill them before they become the threat that they were before."

"Do you really believe that? That three vigilantes can do what the hundreds of heroes could not."

Izuku answered coldly, "I have to. Otherwise, what is the point of being here."

Orion sighed, "Then allow me to help. Instead of three become four. I can not only teach you computer skills like hacking and coding I can give reliable intel. Also a safe area for the three of you to sleep, train, and heal. What do you say?"

For the briefest of moments, he considered telling the man to fuck off. The last thing he needed was a babysitter. The thought of having a rood over his head made him hesitate. Having one of the wrist computers would help his cause as well. As long as Orion didnt try to stop him there was a chance that this partnership could work.

With that thought, he nodded ever so slightly sealing the deal. They both had their issues that would need to be worked out. At the same time having one more member wouldn't hurt. Especially if he had a stable place for them to stay.

Tsukauchi's POV

How?! How did this vigilante get his private phone number?! It wasn't given out to the public and only those who absolutely needed to know had it. This vigilante was going to give him a god damn aneurysm.

Somehow not only had the vigilante known as Delta got his number but he got Eraserhead's number too. With the numbers, he had made a group chat to pass along information when he didnt want to meet up. Or as Naomasa couldn't meet up and safely getaway. The chat name was confusing to the detective and hero. It wasnt a name they were familiar with. To his surprise, though all information passed on was reliable. They could however do without the nicknames.

**Snakelady's Nightly Annoyance**

**Carboy: Escapedvigil are you ever going to tell us what snake lady means?**

**Sleepyhobo: I would like an answer to that as well.**

**Escapedvigil: If I just told you it wouldn't be any fun. It's not the right time to reveal anything anyways. Not that you'd believe me.**

Naomasa sat back in his chair considering the last sentence. It would make sense if Delta didnt trust them. They were police and heroes but to not tell them something because he was afraid they wouldn't believe him. That stung.

To date every piece of information they received from the vigilante was viable. Delta had not lied or given them any false information. What they did not understand was his reaction to Best Jeanist?

According to the pro hero, the vigilante appeared to be terrified at the sight of him. Saying that he saw Best Jeanist die. Best Jeanist was sure that the vigilante was telling the truth. His body language screamed his uncertainty and fear.

It was a few days later that this group chat was created. No matter what they tried they could not trace the vigilante's phone. It was annoying but not unexpected. Still, it made his life much more difficult. After a moment he decided to ask the question that had been bugging him.

**Carboy: Why did you tell Best Jeanist that you saw him die? Is it the power of your quirk? Do you have foresight like Sir Nighteye?**

**Escapedvigil: No it's not a quirk. I... I can't tell you how I saw him die.**

Naomasa sighed. He should have expected that. If he was honest with himself he would admit the vigilante seemed like a hurt child. That couldn't be right though. Right?

**Sleepyhobo: You aren't going to tell us anything are you? Just what has fo do with cases.**

**Escapedvigil: Sorry.**

**Escapedvigil offline.**

Well damn. They scared him off again. Trying to get any information about the vigilante was like pulling teeth. He was extremely wary of both Naomasa and Eraserhead.

His phone rang a moment later with Eraserhead's number on it. He answered tiredly, "We scared him off again."

Eraserhead replied, "It seems that Best Jeanist is a sensitive topic. I have him looking into possible connections."

There was a ping from his phone drawing his attention.

**Escapedvigil: Muscular is on the move. There are two heroes injured. Sent location.**

**Sleepyhobo: On my way.**

Naomasa blinked at his phone in surprise. Muscular was an A-List villain. There was no way that Eraserhead and Delta could take him on alone. Immediately he sent the location to other heroes he knew would be on patrol.

Standing from his chair he left his office heading into the bullpen. As soon as he entered the eyes of the lower level detectives and officers were on him.

He called out, "Sansa you're with me. The rest of you find out what heroes are patrolling tonight and send them downtown. We have an A-List villain downtown and with our informant, we have a general idea of where he is. When you get ahold of the heroes tell them that it is Muscular. Get moving!"

"Sir!"


	5. Muscular part 2

Izuku's POV 

His right leg slipped on the wet asphalt as he tried to dodge another massive arm. He couldn't move too much from his spot as he was protecting two fallen heroes. Neither of which were in any shape to move much less fight this villain. 

Rainy weather had once been a reminder that he was not in the future. Currently, though it was nothing more than an annoyance for him. It made him constantly have to be more aware of his surroundings. Or he would slip and give an opening to the villain.

Muscular was a villain he was extensively familiar with. In the future, the man had been apart of the League of Villains. Their second major attack was at the UA summer training camp. Rumors at the time had it that they were behind Nomus appearing in Hosu but they were unconfirmed to the public. 

Two students were kidnapped at the camp, both from Class 1-A. Bakugo and Tokoyami. One for their villainous attitude. The other for his quirk being as uncontrolled and volatile as it was. A rescue operation happened days later and what followed he could now consider the beginning of the end. 

Kamino Ward Incident as it was later called was their first look at what they were up against. All Might and All For One had their second showdown. Neither at their full power and struggling to come out on top. Or so it seemed at the time. All For One had truly been biding his time allowing his enemy to grow weaker. All Might's successor had died in a raid along with the Number One's former sidekick. From what he understood they were trying to rescue a little girl who had a rewind quirk. 

That girl was next on his list to be saved. From his time within Ciro, he knew where that hideout was and how to get in. The villains would be easily subdued. However, something bothered Izuku with that villain. Overhaul had a good idea that was very similar to Orichalcum. It was just the method he went about it was wrong. If dangerous criminals lost their quirks before they escaped then maybe the world wouldn't have been destroyed. It was a possibility. Only talking to Overhaul would tell him if history on that end could avoid being repeated. 

A fist was coming straight for his face and instinct kicked in. Izuku grabbed the wrist and tried to toss the villain. Only for another fist to catch him in the abdomen. The wind was knocked from his lungs as he was thrown back the force. He felt his ribs crack and blood wet his lips. 

Damn it all to hell. He was not ready to fight Muscular. So far all he could do was dodge and keep the man's attention off the downed heroes. He could have let the man run off but there was always the chance that he couldn't keep up in the streets. Villains like him were on a completely separate level than the villains he had been fighting. 

Drawing his knife and sidearm was next to impossible. For such a big person when using his quirk he was fast on his feet. It was all he could do to keep dodging. Still, it was better than the alternative. Fight and protect Water Hose or stand aside and watch them die. There was no choice here he had to protect them. 

There was a shift in the air and Izuku dodged to the right. A familiar white scarf-like object wrapped around the arm that had been coming for another attack. Eraserhead thank the gods for the blessing of having with him in the fight. 

Vigilante and hero didnt usually see eye to eye on anything. In fact, Izuku was sure he drove the hero crazy with his stunts. When it came to trusting someone to have his back in a fight like this there was no one else he would rather have.

Eraserhead dropped down into the street and asked, "You alright, Delta?"

"I'll live," came his short reply. 

Eraserhead gave a short nod before they faced off with the villain. Annoyance flashed in Muscular's one good eye. Like in the original timeline the villain's eye had been severely injured by the heroes. 

This was going to be trickier now than before. Izuku and Eraserhead to date had never fought alongside each other. Having an idea about the other's style wasnt the same as knowing their movements. Both would have to be wary about where the other was so as not to create friendly fire. 

Muscular said arrogantly, "Another little hero thinking they can stop me. You should run little heroes unless you want to die like those behind you."

Orion's voice said from Izuku earpiece, "Hawks and Best Jeanist are on their way. Two minutes for Hawks to get there if he keeps up the speed he's going at now. Three minutes till the police arrive."

Two minutes minimum was still a long time to hold out. Izuku replied with a tired sigh, "We will try to hold out as long as we can," then to Eraserhead, he said, "Two minutes until backup arrives."

There was a grunt of acknowledgment. They were on their own for the moment and would have to make do. For now, trust would be given to have each other's back. 

Muscular yanked his arm free of the scarf suddenly. His muscles bulged with anger and then the villain launched himself at Eraserhead. Izuku jumped into the fray to protect the hero. Pain shot through him at the sharp movement. 

As he grabbed the villain's arm stopping it from hitting the hero. The arm shrunk in his grip and he tightened it to prevent him from getting away. Still, even without his quirk, the villain was ridiculously strong. It didnt take much effort for him to throw Izuku away from him. Eraserhead planted his knee straight into Muscular's nose. As Izuku recover he pulled his knife free from its sheath. 

Eraserhead retreated as Izuku drew in close. Muscles reformed and Izuku swore under his breath. He ducked and dodged around the swinging arms. His knife despite its sharpness and special metal could not penetrate the muscles. If it didnt go into the body then it wouldn't stop the quirk. 

A strike to the top of his head made him see stars. It was swiftly followed by another to his broken ribs. He was sent flying back and coughed up more blood. Breathing was made much more difficult from that strike. Damn it he better not have a punctured lung. There was no way he was going to the hospital. They asked way too many questions.

As he recovered from the strike he put his knife back into its sheath. Then he pulled his gun from its holster. As he leveled it at Muscular his muscles went back to normal again. 

Muscular then went to attack Eraserhead to get him to blink and turn off his quirk. That might work for the hero but it would not work for him. Aiming at the villain's knee he put a bullet into it. This caused Muscular's knee then buckled and gave out from under him. 

Muscular howled in pain from the wound and Izuku didn't hesitate to jump on top of the man. He planted his knee into the small of the other's back. A quick strike to the back of his neck rendered Muscular unconscious. Wrenching both arms behind the back he wasnt surprised when Eraserhead handed him a pair quirk suppressing handcuffs. Not that they were needed now. 

Once they were secured Izuku fell back onto the concrete. Rain poured down upon him as he struggled to get his breathing under control. The pain made his chest constrict and he spits up more blood. Damn it all to hell. Something in there was not working as it should. 

There was the sound of flapping wings above them that caught his attention. He glanced up to see a red-winged hero coming towards them. Well, there was Hawks and Izuku knew he was a high ranking hero. One of the few that had not gone to a hero school. 

His gun and knife would not help him here. Eraserhead was good at fighting quirkless and wings like that would not stop because of Orichalcum. It would only injure the two men but they would still be able to fight him. 

He coughed up more blood it coating his cowl just as the other coughs had. The blood on his cowl was making it even more difficult to breathe. Red eyes turned to him as he pulled his cowl down to spit out the blood. 

Eraserhead questioned worry in his eyes, "Are you injured Delta?"

"Several broken ribs."

Eraserhead took a step towards him as Hawks landed on the gravel. His golden eyes glanced towards Izuku. The vigilante bared his teeth angrily but didnt say anything. 

His head perked up hearing sirens approaching. If he wanted to get away scot-free he would have to leave now. He knew it would not be that easy with these heroes. 

Wait... where did Hawks go? His attention wavered for only a few seconds. Warm hands came up under his armpits and lifted him into the air. His ribs screamed in pain and he had to bite his lip to the point of drawing blood to keep from crying out. 

Hawks said with a sheepish smile, "Sorry about this. It will be faster if I take you to the hospital rather than waiting for an ambulance. I'm sure you can do your reports from a bed. The detectives usually don't mind."

Either this hero was naive or he was an idiot. Izuku was leaning towards the latter as he didnt even check to see if he had a hero license. Most would have been suspicious of him just from his interactions with Eraserhead. Very few heroes were that comfortable around the erasure hero. 

Izuku yelled wincing as it shook his broken ribs, "PUT ME DOWN YOU OVERGROWN CHICKEN!"

Hawks snarled, "I am NOT A CHICKEN!"

Oh, this would be fun. A hero that had the emotional maturity of a three-year-old. He had to annoy this hero but first, he had to get the man to let him go. 

Izuku checked the ground below him to see when was the best to get away. There were building there. He watched counting the seconds so that he could time his jump. 

Izuku snarked, "Fine. Put me down you overgrown pigeon."

Hawks shouted, "I AM NOT A PIDGEON. I AM A HAWK!"

"YOU CAN'T PROVE THAT YOU OVERGROWN PENGUIN!"

Hawks shouted, "AT LEAST I CAN FLY, WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN PENGUIN!"

Izuku slammed his elbow back into the diaphragm of Hawks. It caused the hero to let him go and for the boy to drop out of the sky. As the rooftop approached he rolled forward to prevent more injuries.

Izuku snapped staring at the hero who was still in the sky, "FINE YOU TURTLE DOVE!"

Hawks blinks in surprise before he replied, "...Those are very majestic, actually, I'll take that."

Izuku gave another cough and grimaced as the blood hit his gloves. Fuck that wasn't good. He needed to get away and back to Orion if anyone could help him it would be that man. At least he somewhat trusted Orion not to betray him. Unlike the heroes who would take him to a hospital and then to jail. 

Hawks said his arms folding over his chest, "You need to go to a hospital hero or not. Let me take you to the hospital."

"You really believe I am a hero," scoffed Izuku, "I'm not unfortunately for you. I was just the one who happened upon the villain trying to kill the Water Hose Duo. If you continue to try and bring me in I will fight you Hawks. Injured or not I can put up one hell of a fight. You would not walk away unscathed."

"You're the new vigilante in town," breathed the hero in surprise, "The one that has the problem with Jeanist. You're smaller than I expected."

Izuku flinched at the mention of Best Jeanist. It was highly unlikely he would ever be able to act normally around the Number 4 Hero. Out of everyone he had seen die he felt the most guilt over Jeanist. Guilt that ate at him everyday for not being strong enough. 

Hawks considered him for a moment before he said, "You did a lot of good today trying to bring you in would only make us look bad to the public. You did save two heroes after all. So go on. I'll tell Eraserhead and Tsukauchi you got away."

Izuku stared at the hero in surprise and mistrust. There was a chance he would try to follow Izuku back to Castle. Though it was highly unlikely Hawks would be able to get through the traps. Not without an army behind him at least. Even then Izuku and Orion would be long gone before they got to the main area. 

With a last glance at the hero, he faded into the shadows intent of finding a less obvious way off the rooftop. It was only a few blocks away that Orion picked him up. Unsurprising given everything that man seemed to be everywhere. 

Aizawa's POV 

It shouldn't have surprised him that Delta got away from Hawks. The younger hero was too naive for his own good. Still to find out the vigilante he had been chasing was coughing up blood was worrying. He had hoped that seeing it after the battle was a one-time thing. Apparently not. In all likelihood, Delta had a punctured lung that needed to be treated at a hospital.

Beating Hawks to the nearest hospital should not have been possible. In the air, he was faster and able to avoid things that those on the ground could not. Then they found out that Delta got away from the young hero. Even injured Delta was a skilled combatant. It was only thanks to those skills that the Water Hose Duo survived. Still, it was frustrating that a vigilante who appeared out of nowhere continued to escape their custody. 

Currently, he was waiting with the Wild Wild Pussy Cats and a young child to learn of the Water Hose Duo's condition. When the two arrived they were in critical condition but alive. Now they were in surgery to repair the damage that was done. The child was their son from what he understood. If the Water Hose Duo didnt make it he would be left an orphan. Hawks had already left to return to his patrol leaving Shouta and Tsukauchi to handle things at the hospital. 

It was over four hours before the doctors came out into the waiting room. The mountain heroes were all on their feet within seconds. 

The doctor said wiping off his hands on a cloth, "I have good news and bad news. The good news is as long as there are no further complications they will survive. What we do not know about is how far the damage extends. Their arms where the water originates from were extensively damaged. It is unknown if they will be able to return to hero work even with extensive physical therapy. They are very lucky that they received treatment when they did. It could have been a lot worse. If you wish you can go in and see them now."

Only Mandalay stayed for a moment. She held her hand out to Shouta and said, "Thank you. Without you they would have died I'm sure of it."

Shouta shook her hand as he replied, "I'm not the one you should be thanking. Our resident vigilante was the one who alerted everyone to their plight. Without him, they would have died."

"A vigilante? How long has he been around? There hasn't been anything about a new vigilante out on hero net yet."

Shouta sighed, "That was mine and Tsukauchi's decision. His name is Delta and besides his piercing green eyes and short stature, we know nothing about him. Not even a quirk or age range. Tonight though he protected downed heroes without any thoughts to his own safety. It is out of character for most vigilantes but he does seem to truly want to help people."

Mandalay murmured, "It makes you wonder why be a vigilante. Why not try to be a hero?"

A valid question that he did not have an answer to. There could be numerous reasons as to why he wasnt a hero. Or couldn't be one. Criminal past, quirk discrimination, or the unfair tests that prevent those with nonphysical quirks. There was a distinct possibility that it could have been Shouta if he had not made first in his first sports festival. 

Shouta sighed inaudibly as Mandalay left him alone. He would have to find a way to get Delta to talk to him. At least talk to him without leading him on a wild goose chase through the city. Those were starting to get old and fast. Maybe he would answer some of the questions. Then again there was a much higher chance that he would run without giving any answers. He would try though.


	6. When one becomes three part 1

Izuku's POV

"You're a dumbass," came Orion's declaration as he finished wrapping Izuku's side.

Izuku for his part flipped the man the bird as he stood. It was never easy trying to fix broken ribs without real medical supplies. At least at this time, they could go borrow what they needed from the drug stores. After the fall it hadn't been possible due to looting.

Gingerly he pulled a t-shirt over his head and changed into a pair of sweatpants. Vigilante gear was not comfortable to sleep in. Ever. They had raided a clothing donation drop for some extra clothes. It wasnt anything that would be missed or go to waste. They lacked the money to buy necessities after all.

A flash of metal came at his head. On reflex Izuku caught it flipping it around like it was a knife. It was not a knife. What he held was an up to date phone with a bit of Orion mixed in. Within a few seconds, he was into his chat with Eraserhead and Tsukauchi.

Turning his head to the man putting away their medical supplies he asked, "And this is for?"

Orion answered as he moved towards his own sleeping bag, "A phone. You need to make friends and a life outside of Delta. Especially if you want to get into UA. Despite being an animal Nezu is the most intelligent being on the planet. You will need people to vouch for you who aren't vigilantes. I also have you signed up to take the test to get out of middle school set up for tomorrow. I suggest you do that tomorrow instead of patrols. Your body needs to heal."

Izuku snapped defensively, "I'm doing just fine on the friends front thank you. I have Echo and Charlie. What more do I need?"

Orion turned as he replied his tone softening some, "Izuku you need time to be a kid again. If you dont take time away to act normal then you will drive yourself insane. The world can do without Delta for a little while."

No, no it really couldn't. The world was relying on them to kill Shigarki and All For One. They had to stop the Fall before it happened. Otherwise more lives than he cared to count would be lost. Taking it easy was not an option. Not until they stopped the two madmen from destroying everything. If that cost him his sanity so be it.

Izuku didnt have a problem with testing out of middle school. It would be one less thing he would have to worry about later. Making friends though. It would be easier to pull teeth on him. For as long as he could remember he had problems making friends even before he was diagnosed quirkless.

In the beginning, his only friend had been Bakugo Katsuki. They did everything together right up until Kindergarten. That was when Katsuki got his quirk and Izuku did not. Everything changed after that. He became Deku a useless kid without a quirk.

The only thing that remained between him and Katsuki were the codes. If one of them ever needed anything major they'd send the code to the other's phone. It was only used once the day of the Fall. Katsuki in an effort to make sure Izuku stayed safe sent the emergency code to run. Run as far away as he could that something was happening.

It was only moments later that Katsuki also known as the Pro Hero Ground Zero fell in battle. For a few years after that, he was completely friendless. Despite being bullied by Katsuki for the longest time he had considered them friends.

So no he really didnt want to get out there and try to make a friend. He had very little in common with anyone at his body's age. Mentally he was 27 years old things that kids found amusing were tedious for him now. It wasnt like he could tell them the truth of what he was doing. Hell, most people wouldn't want to be around him after the words I'm quirkless left his mouth.

Izuku sighed as the anger drained out of him, "It's not that I dont want to have friends Orion. It's that I dont have anything in common with anyone anymore. If it wasnt for your quirk you wouldn't even be here. So please. Dont push this issue."

"Delta..." he was ignored by Izuku who went over to his sleeping bag.

Carefully he laid out on his sleeping bag in a t-shirt and pants. Mindful of the ribs he tried to sleep it off. It went about as well as expected. He woke twice to nightmares and the taste of blood in his mouth from biting his lip to keep from screaming.

By seven he was up and about trying to make himself useful while Orion slept. He wasnt at all surprised that Eraser and the detective both sent messages checking in on his health. They had seen him being flown away by Hawks but he did not arrive at the hospital. Maybe they...

No there was no way they actually cared about him. He was just another vigilante who needed to be taken off the streets in their eyes. Nothing more. Nothing less. Letting the depressive thoughts go for a moment he typed out in chat.

**Snakelady's Nightly Annoyance**

**Escapedvigil: Sorry you guys I ended up passing out once my ribs were set. Dont worry I live.**

Not his usual brand of sarcasm and wit but at this point, he was too tired to care. If they didnt like it they could bite him. Though he would need to go break into Ciro soon. The chat wasnt as big as it needed to be. He needed to get Conklin and Abbott's phone numbers. A task that was currently impossible due to the men's paranoid behaviors.

**Sleepyhobo: Why did you go to the hospital you? Hawks was going to take you?**

**Escapedvigil: Go to the hospital and get arrested. Or go to my hideaway treat myself and not get arrested. Clear choice.**

**Carboy: It's a miracle you're still alive, Delta. I dont suppose you will tell us where you are?**

**Escapedvigil: Nope.**

**Sleepyhobo: Well you will be happy to know that Water Hose will be fine. Its unknown at this time if will be able to return to hero work but you saved their lives. Well done.**

**Escapedvigil is now offline**

**Carboy: Well damn it. Why doesn't he accept praise?**

Izuku smiled sadly at the last message before the hero and detective went offline. If they knew the truth about him they wouldn't pretend to care. Quirkless were useless in the eyes of the world right now. It wouldn't be until the Fall that people saw their usefulness. By then it would be too late.

He needed to find a way to get more information than just from his patrols. As a new vigilante, he wasnt being sought after in the underworld. Not yet at least. With time his name would become more well known and informants would seek him out.

There was an underground club somewhere in the city he knew that much. To get in you had to be invited and sign a binding contract in blood. Most informants and vigilantes met there to exchange safely.

Shaking his head he turned his attention to the test that he had been given. It was coded so that if he tried to open other tabs it would alert the administrators. While he could mess with the code he decided against it. Better just to get this done than have to deal with it later.

While easy it was a fairly long test that took him the rest of the morning. He only briefly stopped to eat a ration bar before returning to it. When he was done he jumped to his feet completely forgetting his broken ribs. A wince went through him as his hand grabbed at them.

Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck that hurt. Note to self never jump up with broken ribs. It hurts like all hell.

"You're a dumbass," quipped Orion from where he was sitting up.

Izuku didnt deign the man a vocal response. Instead, he flipped the older man the bird before putting away his phone.

The rest of his day dragged on as daylight meant no patrols and sleeping was out of the question. He was afraid of what his mind would show him and was not ashamed to admit it. Memories he'd rather remain buried always came to the surface in his dreams.

Best Jeanist dying for him... his soul mark becoming burnt with the death of his soulmate. Alex extending his hand and the offer of a better life and a chance at saving their world. Wait... he could use that.

CIRO had a building on the north side of Musutafu not officially of course. It was one of the lesser-used offices that held supplies. For what he needed it would be perfect. He would be able to get into their systems and create a back door.

Izuku moved over the where his vigilante gear was laid out. Frowning he considered what to take with him. The jacket wasnt too conspicuous as long as he kept the hood and cowl down. They could be put on inside if needed. His bow was too telling to take though. If he took that the entirety of the city's heroes would be chasing him long before he reached the building.

Instead, he chose his knives and Glock hidden by his jacket. Unfortunately, he would have to leave off on the kevlar for this trip. Its bulk would only slow him down and there was the chance of being recognized as wearing it.

As he was securing his cowl around his neck Orion questioned sounding rather miffed, "Where are you going?"

"To break into CIRO," Izuku replied as he checked himself over. It would have to do given that it was broad daylight. Any more and he would be obvious in that he was up to no good and he didn't want to deal with heroes again so soon.

Orion groaned, "Dont let Alex catch you. You know how he feels about vigilantes on a good day."

Yeah if Alex knew he was a vigilante now the man would shoot him. That man considered vigilantes to be annoyances. To the agent, they merely got in his way and took up time for more useful things.

So Izuku was going to be sure to take up as much time as he could. If he didnt then he wouldn't be doing his job properly. Alex would thank him for it one day. Or he would try to shoot him again. Probably the latter but oh well.

Izuku owed Alex a lot. Without the man, he would have been nothing. There was no way he would have survived much less learned everything he had without him. He had the ability to see something in those he took in. He could see them for who they were even if they couldn't see it for themselves. It inspired loyalty and a long-lasting bond.

For Izuku he would always be loyal to the man no matter what time he was in. That meant preparing Alex for the Fall and trying to stop it.

As Izuku headed for the door Orion called out, "Be safe out there."

"As safe as one can be when they are a wanted vigilante," he quipped in return. All he received was a sigh from the older man.

Conklin's POV

He was not supposed to be here right now. In fact, he was supposed to be halfway around the world on vacation. So why was he in Musutafu? Some dumbass decided that it would be a great idea to set off every alarm in the safe houses. Something that could only be done from the security room of the main office. He had been ten minutes from getting on his flight. Now he was entering the building to find out who he was going to strangle.

Every alarm bell went off in his mind when he entered. It was quiet. Normally there would be agents in and out of the building all day. Even on days like today where they had the bi-yearly meeting with Panov, it should have more people in the main lobby. Yet there was not a single person there. If this was someone's idea of a joke he wasn't laughing.

Alex rounded the desk and his blood froze within his veins. The man who normally was diligent about keeping track of who came and left was leaning against his computer. A quick check for a pulse found that he was alive just unconscious. Something he was eternally grateful for.

Someone was definitely in the building who wasnt supposed to be. The only question was who. Retreating and trying to find out who from another building could have been a possibility. Doing so without any information at all would be stupid. There were too many enemies of the agency to even consider going that route. Which meant he would need to send out an alert without whoever was here knowing about it.

Methodically he searched rooms finding the place mostly empty. Those who were there were unconscious without any outward signs of a struggle. Possibly the use of a gas quirk. The only one who came to mind was Midnight but she didnt have any beef with CIRO. There was no reason for her to attack them.

If it wasnt the R-rated heroine he didnt have a clue who could have done this. To knock out so many trained agents without leaving a sign or alerting the others took skill. Not many even in the hero community had it.

As he made his way to the security room he heard a voice. One was instantly recognizable as Panov. The good doctor was trying to talk to whoever the other was. They sounded young but it was difficult to tell with the voice modulator.

"You should give up while you can," came Panov's calm voice, "CIRO won't just let this go."

The unfamiliar voice returned, "That's the plan doc. Besides I'm not doing any harm with this. I need the information and CIRO has it."

Panov replied unfazed as Alex peeked around the door, "Knocking everyone out is still harmful even if they dont have any lasting damage to their person. It could affect their careers or even their family's. Unfortunately for you however your path ends here."

Alex could see a small vigilante standing by the security computer. A hood and cowl were pulled up covering his facial expressions. A vigilante huh? What were they doing here?

"What did you do doctor?" Came the gruff serious question.

"I may not be an agent but I do know the tricks of this building. And how to ensure that there is a prompt arrival of certain agents."

The vigilante stood straight green-grey eyes swept towards where Alex lay in wait before backing to the doctor. He said sounding mildly impressed, "You set off the silent alarms for safe houses. Very clever doctor. Unfortunately not clever enough. They wouldn't send a full team of agents for what appears to be a system malfunction. I suspect maybe one or two agents at most. That much I can handle."

Shit! This wasnt the normal run of the mill vigilante. Whoever this man was they knew exactly what they were doing. How they knew the protocols was beyond him but he had to stop this before this vigilante used the doctor as a hostage.

Drawing his sidearm he entered the room only to duck to the side as a flash of metal came at him. A knife buried itself all the way to the hilt in the wall where his shoulder had been. Vigilante aiming to injure but not kill. That was something at least.

There was a cry of pain as Panov was hauled to his feet. Panov was leaned back by the much shorter vigilante. Another knife was pressed against his throat the warning was clear. Shoot the vigilante and he would be sure to bring the doctor down with him.

Alex couldn't risk Panov's life here. The man was the only person his agents would talk to. Hell, he was the only one Alex would talk to. There was something about him that calmed them.

He held his hands up to show he meant no harm. The vigilante stares at him with a hard look but didnt move to harm the doctor. Instead, he shoved the doctor forward keeping his hostage between them.

Alex growled as they headed back towards the entrance, "You won't get away with this vigilante. We will find and bring you down."

They were almost back in the lobby now and the vigilante eased the doctor back more and more. He replied chiding, "Ah but to catch me you would have to know what I was after. Unfortunately for you what I was after is not something that was obvious. However, this will not be the last you hear from me. When one becomes three we will meet again. Until then," he paused looking directly into Alex's eyes, "It's hard to say goodbye."

Alex's breath caught in his throat at the familiar phrase. Only the black ops programs used that phrase. There was no way a vigilante should know it. What the hell was going on?!

Before he could demand answers the knife was removed from Panov's throat and he was pushed into Alex. Steadying the doctor he tried to see which way the vigilante had gone but he was already gone. Disappeared as if he was smoke. Damn it!


	7. When one becomes three part 2

Warnings: Child's death

Izuku's POV 

Escaping CIRO had been easy. Alex was more focused on the doctor that Izuku had taken hostage. Not that Izuku would have hurt the man. He was a vigilante, not a monster. The doctor was simply a product of bad timing. 

Using the old code for the black ops programs had been a stroke of genius. It would have Alex chasing his tail in the wrong direction. Files of old would not hold the information he was looking for. Only if he looked towards those seeking entrance into Japan and hero schools would he have a chance at figuring out who the three were. 

Impatience filled the young vigilante as he thought of his brothers in arms. Echo and Charlie should arrive anytime now. It would be nice to have someone with combat skills to have his back. There were a lot of things Orion was good at. Fighting was not one of those things. 

It wasn't just their skills that he missed even if he would never admit it out loud. He missed Echo's insistence on the little things. Or how Charlie tried to make everything into a joke. At one time his greatest asset was the optimistic attitude. It died with Fox in the second year of the fall. 

Shaking his head he tried to clear the depressing memories. He wouldn't do anyone any good if he allowed them to take over. 

A muted explosion rocked the ground almost sending Izuku off his feet. Instinctively his eyes shot towards the sky looking for a Nomu or villain. Instead, he saw buildings on fire in the distance. That was a residential area. 

The panicked thought had his legs moving before his brain could catch up. Getting involved wasnt his smartest idea. Not being in full gear meant when the heroes arrived he would be in danger of being caught. But he couldn't standby and do nothing while lives were in danger. Vigilantes and heroes were cut from the same cloth. The main difference between them was that the heroes had a license. Both wanted to help people that was what set them apart from villains. 

It took him precious time to reach where the fire was. A range of residential low-income apartments were in ablaze. Where he guessed it originated at was a building that had already collapsed. It was beyond his help.

In the streets were injured men, women, and children. A handful of paramedics were already on the scene but no heroes. Too few people were outside given how many buildings were on fire. There was a good chance that there were people trapped inside. 

Pulling up his hood and cowl Izuku rushed inside. The cries of civilians behind him were drowned out by the crackling fire. He searched the first building with ruthless efficiency. Any locked door was kicked in to ensure there was no one who was trapped. 

On the top floor in the last room, he found a child's bedroom. He didnt have to move over to the bed to see that the child was dead. Their blackened skin was clear enough from the doorway. Lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling. 

Izuku had to swallow back bile as he moved to the next building. He couldn't show emotion here. If he did then he would be wasting time on those who could still be alive. 

The next building was much the same but with one notable exception of a survivor. Helping them to safety was his first priority and he had to yell to be heard. Fresh night air soothed the burning in his lungs as they escaped out of the building.

Izuku waved off the paramedics who tried to tend to him. He couldn't stop now even if his lungs were begging him to. He had to be sure that there was no one else waiting for rescue. That was what it meant to be a hero. 

As he was about to head into the second to last building he felt the fibers of his clothes tighten around him. Turning he saw a familiar blue-clothed hero making his way over. Part of Izuku wanted to run and get away from the man who saved him. To not face the cause of so many nightmares. 

Instead, he stood his ground meeting the lighter green eyes head-on. He greeted cordially, "Best Jeanist it's been awhile since we last spoke. Unfortunately, I do not have time to catch up with you. There are two apartment buildings that still need to be cleared."

Once again he tried to return to his duty and once again the fibers tightened restricting his movement. Izuku glared at the man. Lives were at stake. They didnt have the luxury of time here. 

Izuku snarled his voice modulator not liking the sound, "Jeanist, I may be a vigilante but now is not the time to be fighting. There still could be people trapped inside. I have cleared two of the buildings of survivors. There are still two more."

There was a brief moment of hesitation before the fibers of his clothes released him. Izuku didnt hesitate to throw himself back into the burning buildings. They had wasted enough time he could allow any more blood to be on his hands. Not when he could save them. 

More bodies were found in this building of those unfortunate enough to not get out. Several rooms he was unable to enter due to the flames getting stronger. Or maybe it was his body getting weaker due to smoke inhalation. He wasn't sure. 

Izuku threw an arm up to protect his face as the flames flared up again. Burns were forming all over his body but he ignored the pain. This was something he could deal with. 

As he was about to move onto the next building he heard a muffled sob. Confusion went through him as he wasn't around any rooms. Further examination of the hallway found a closet. Someone wouldnt trap their kids in there. Right?

To his horror, someone did indeed trap two children in the closet. It was locked from the outside and no key in the area. Thankfully he kept his picks on him at all times and made quick work of the lock. 

It was a boy and a girl no more than ten years old. The boy looked as if he was having trouble breathing. While the girl just looked terrified. 

Izuku bent so that he was eye level with them and said gently, "Hey there kids. I'm here to get you to safety. My name is Delta."

The boy coughed out painfully, "You're the new vigilante. Momma says that vigilantes like you are bad."

Izuku smiled as kindly as he could as he said, "If you can't trust me, maybe you can trust Best Jeanist. He's outside right now helping the injured. How would you like to meet the Number 4 Pro Hero?"

Both children's eyes lit up at the thought of meeting a true hero. Once upon a time, he would have been the same. Once upon a time, he wouldn't be carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. 

He said going to pick up the children, "Alright I'm going to carry you both so we can get out of here faster. If I put you down and tell you to run. You need to listen to me. Okay?"

Both children nodded as they allowed him to pick them up. Around him, he could hear the building creaking. Any minute now it would collapse on them. He had to hurry and get the kids to safety. 

Izuku took the stairs three at a time barely noticing the way his ribs flared with each bounce. Kids first, injuries second. As they hit the bottom floor he heard the roof begin its collapse. He pushed himself harder to get them out before it completely gave way. 

They had reached the hallway and were almost at the exit when the building collapsed. Izuku threw the kids towards Jeanist who caught them in his quirk right as the building came down upon him. Then he knew nothing more. 

Hakamata's POV 

There was barely enough time to catch two children thrown at him by the vigilante. His quirk wrapped around them protectively stopping any injuries a fall may have ensued. When he looked up it was just in time to see the building collapse onto the vigilante. Trapping him within the rubble. 

Tsunagu felt the respect he hard for the man to grow. Delta had risked life and limb to ensure everyone who was alive in the burning buildings made it out. Even to the point that a building collapsed on him rather than the kids he was carrying. 

The kids babbled about being locked in a closet. How the vigilante had saved them from the fire. Damn abuse on top of everything else. 

Death Arms said holding his arms out for the kids, "I'll make sure they are looked after Jeanist. You should probably see about pulling Delta from the rubble. I'll call it in."

Tsunagu released the kids into the other hero's care. He trusted Death Arms to have his back and to look after them. Despite his rough exterior, he was a good hero and great with kids. 

A group of water quirked heroes had put out the fires around where the vigilante had been taken out. It was up to him and the other rescuers not busy with the injured to dig out the bodies from the rubble. This was one of his least favorite parts of his job. 

Delta had done well this evening in saving the kids. He didnt deserve to have a building collapse on him. 

Tsunagu began to work his way through the wreckage shifting the too hot wreck as much as he could with a quirk. That's when he noticed something on the very edge of what his quirk could feel through the heat. Something was making a regular motion like breathing against fibers. It was a good ways underneath the wreckage but someone was still alive. 

That made him move faster until he could use his quirk to rug the person out from under the wreckage. The black jacket and cowl gave a clear indicator of who he just rescued. Delta's breathing was pained but he was alive. 

Picking up the too-light vigilante he moved them to a safer area. Paramedics descended upon them checking the vigilante over. At his insistence, the cowl stayed in place. He would remove it when he got Delta to his agency. Only first aid would be applied here. His agency was better equipped than the paramedics after all and much closer than a hospital. 

One of the paramedics frowned as he said, "He needs his ribs reset. They were already broken before the building fell on him. Do you have someone at your agency with a healing quirk?"

Tsunagu replied with a nod, "I do."

Where they there right now? No, no they were not. However, they did owe him a favor which he would be calling in. First things first. He had to get back to his agency before the other heroes arrived. 

After a few moments of jotting down his hero license information and assuring the paramedics that he could handle the other he left. A quick phone call was made to one of his sidekicks. She had the healing quirk and knew how to be discreet. The trip back to his agency was made in silence. It was only broken by the occasional sound by the vigilante. 

Once at his agency, Anna met him at the doors. One look at the vigilante had her in action. Tsunagu left the vigilante in her care. If he was needed she would notify him. For his part, he would need to fill out reports on what happened tonight. The only question being was whether or not he mentioned Delta. 

An hour later she came up to his office with the vigilante in tow on one of their cots held by robots support was designing. They were very similar to the robots that UA used. His team hoped to make them strong enough to be used in the field not just around the office. 

Delta was in clean pants and his jacket torn at the back to allow access to his other injuries. Tsunagu knew that the other's ribs and unknown injuries were healed. At worst he would have some lasting aches for a few days. 

Anna questioned carefully, "Sir are you going to remove his mask? Unless I'm mistaken this is the vigilante Delta. No disrespect sir but why not just leave him with the police?"

That question had ate at the hero for a while. Why not just leave the vigilante to be taken to a villain's hospital? Depending on his age and prior history he would probably get off with only a few years. 

His mind went back to how to proceed from here. Realistically he should follow the law. But instinct told him there was more going on here than he knew. If he let Delta go it wouldn't be without getting some answers first. Not like it would be the first time he let a vigilante escape either. There were a few he looked the other way with. It all depended on why they did what they did. 

First things first he needed to know what he was dealing with. That at this moment meant unmasking the vigilante. Something he couldn't do with Anna here. 

"I'll take it from here Anna," replied Tsunagu, "I haven't decided what I will do with them yet. For now, head home if I need you I'll call."

For a moment she looked as if she was going to argue with him. Then reluctantly she nodded and took the elevator down to the lobby. Once he was sure she wouldn't return he did what he should have done earlier. With his mind focused on possible injuries he had forgotten about one of the only things they knew about Delta. His obsession with knives and sidearms. 

The first thing he did was strip the vigilante of his jacket. Then pulled down his hood and cowl. That was as far as he got before he stopped. All he could do was stare shocked at the vigilante. His mind was racing miles person second. 

What the fuck? Delta was a child?


	8. When one becomes three part 3

A/N thanks for your reviews and support. 

A Queen Among Women: thanks for your review, my friend. Yep, he is! I'm so glad you enjoy it!

Hakamata's POV 

There was no escaping the reality of the situation. The vigilante every hero had at least heard of was in fact a child. By the looks of it, he couldn't have been older than 13 or 14. Not even old enough to go to high school yet. What could cause a child to turn to vigilantism?

Tsunagu couldn't understand what would cause a child to do this. Or how someone so young had the skills Delta did. He met pro heroes who had less in the way of skills. Delta fought as his life depended on it every time he went out. It wasnt normal. 

As much as he didnt want to admit it there was a good chance that his home life wasnt a good one. If he was to find out he would need a name. Glancing towards his desk he knew he could gather the child's fingerprints. 

If he did that would the boy run as soon as he woke up. His hunch could be right or wrong. If it was right then it would be a lot more difficult to pin him down again. There was no telling where he would run to. 

If the child had a good home then it would be a lot easier to find him. But what kind of parent didnt notice their child coming and going at all hours of the night? What parent couldnt see the wounds that this one so obviously carried?

Tsunagu sighed. He couldn't just do nothing. With the information, he currently had there was no way to make an informed decision. Whether it came back to bite him later or not he needed to know who the kid was. As well as what kind of quirk he was dealing with. 

Taking fingerprints only took a moment and he scanned them. As if an afterthought he pulled a pair of quirk suppressing cuff out. He kept one nearby at all times. One could never be too careful in this profession after all. 

With them on the boy was secured if he woke up. Now all he could do was wait for the boy to wake up or his fingerprints to come back. Whichever came first but he was hoping for the fingerprints. 

To Tsunagu's relief, they came back quickly. There wasnt much to go on. No active files against the kid or even a missing person's case. Still, he opened it to read what they had. 

Name: Izuku Midoriya 

Age: 14

Parents: Inko and Hisashi Midoriya. Lives with mother. Father in America for work (confirmed).

Quirk: Not available. Quirkless 

School: Alderra Middle School 2nd year. 

Izuku Midoriya huh? The picture of a smiling middle schooler fit and at the same time didnt fit the child on his couch. There were more scars and wounds that he had seen. Faint outlines that weren't in the picture. Even hero strength concealer wouldn't cover up some of them. 

That's when Tsunagu noticed a few other differences. The boy was physically younger in the photo. An older photo is used instead of a current. Hmmm, there was more to this than what he was processing.

What was he... oh. He saw the quirk label again. The first time his mind had gone right over it not really processing what it meant in favor of making sure the person matched the file. 

Quirkless. There were many in Japan anymore. About 5% of Japan were quirkless due to how the country embraced quirks. The average of the world was currently 20% but the statistic was old. No one bothered to update it because no one really cared. Maybe they should have. 

The suicide rate were high for the quirkless. Most would not reach the age of 18 and fewer still reached 30. Maybe that was why Delta came to be a vigilante. To prove that the quirkless were not useless. 

A cold shiver went down his spine. Wait... could Delta even be considered a vigilante? Vigilantism was defined by using quirks to commit heroic deeds without a license. If there was nothing else in the law technically Midoriya wasnt committing any crime. 

What a mess this had become. A simple vigilante case evolved into a child without a quirk. If he had turned Midoriya over to the Commission most likely they would have swept the fact under the rug. No one would have questioned it either. If Tsunagu hadn't seen the file himself he wouldn't believe the vigilante was quirkless. 

A pained groan followed by a harsh cough filled the once silent air and Tsunagu turned his attention to the waking vigilante. 

Izuku's POV 

Coming to was never a fun experience whether he expected it or not. This time was no exception to that rule. His lungs felt like they were on fire and he needed to cough badly. 

Coughing he took stock of his body and its pains. To his surprise beyond a small twinge in them his ribs were fine. They should have been crushed in the collapsing building. So someone had pulled him from the building and healed him. Not Orion then he didnt have a healing quirk. 

Izuku knew he was most likely in a hospital meant to treat criminals. Which meant they knew who he was. The problem with that theory was that the air around him didnt smell of a hospital. There was the lingering acidic scent of smoke from his gear but other than that it was a normal scent. 

Almost as if he was in an office. That wouldn't make sense though. No hero liked him enough to protect him in such a way. They would be happy to have him off the streets. It would be one less blemish on their society. 

Opening his eyes he found that he was in fact in an office. A tall building that overlooked his city by the window across from him. He was laying on a surprisingly comfortable couch. What was not comfortable was the cuffs on his wrist. Quirk suppressing cuffs if he had to guess. Too bad for them he was quirkless so these were little more than a nuisance. 

"Glad to see you're awake," came a familiar voice that threatened to send Izuku into his worst memories, "Are you in pain anywhere? I had one of my sidekicks treat your injuries after I pulled you from the rubble."

Bile threatened to rise up his throat as he saw flashes of a Nomu biting the man in half. His breaths were coming in ragged gasps. 

Where were the Nomus? Had he been found again? Was Shigarki closing in on them?

He couldn't see Echo or Charlie anywhere. Surely if they were under attack one of the two would be around. One to make a stand while the other ran to alert their remaining fighters. Where was Echo?!

"Delta... Delta... Midoriya... Midoriya... Izuku!"

The use of his first name snapped him back to reality. Best Jeanist was kneeling down beside the couch. Worried light green eyes met his dark green. 

Izuku blinked away the memories forcing himself to focus on his breathing. He couldn't get out of this if he was in the middle of a panic attack. Once his breathing was under control he finished his assessment of himself. 

He was in his undershirt but his jacket, vest, and cowl had been removed. His combat pants had been exchanged for a pair of denim jeans that were a size or so too big. Fiber Master's control worked best on denim it was why the hero had all his sidekicks and himself in jeans. If he needed to he could protect them by using the fibers in their clothes. Or in the case of Izuku restrain him. 

All in all, it was a well-played trap if he tried to leave. Izuku didnt have any of his weapons in his current state. Essentially he was as he appeared to be. A quirkless nobody playing hero. 

With the man's focus away from his hands it didnt take him long to get through the cuffs. They weren't the usual cuffs used by police. Likely they were just a temporary measure meant to ensure that the person wouldn't attack Tsunagu. The poor man grossly underestimated his capabilities. 

Taking a deep breath Izuku stated bluntly, "You know my real name then, Tsunagu Hakamata. This means you likely have my file and know what the systems knows about me."

If the hero was surprised at the use of his own name he didnt show it. Instead, he seemed to assess Izuku silently. Tension filled the air and he was uncertain of how this was going to go. It was odd that the hero brought him back to his agency. Then again in the future, there were rumors of the Hero Commission taking children at young ages. Nothing was ever confirmed but it did make one wonder. 

Jeanist sighed as he stood back to his full height, "I do know your real name but what we have on you isn't much. Nothing I learned in your file told me about why. Why did you become a vigilante? Who trained you? What is so special about this knife that it stops the quirk factor in a person?"

Hmmm, how much could he tell the hero? It was unlikely that even if he told Jeanist everything that he would believe it. If it was Izuku and he had not lived the story he wouldn't believe it either. A person who could give and take quirks. A monster that could kill All Might himself. It was as if the Fall had simply been a nightmare created by a child with too big of an imagination. 

The proof was in the knives and ore he carried on him. Things he knew that shouldn't have been possible given his age. Even high caliber hackers wouldn't know what he did. 

Then again for him, life couldn't be normal. No matter if he was called a liar or crazy he would continue to push on. He owed those who died at the Fall that much. 

Izuku said meeting the hero's eyes, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. No one would. Even if you stop me two more will take my place. They will continue where I left off. Our goal is on a much grander scale than what you can see."

"Then make me understand," argued the man, "Make me believe whatever is so unbelievable. Why are there three of you? What could be so big that heroes like myself can't help but you, a child can?"

Izuku snapped, "It's not about being a child. Age is not a factor here!"

"Then what is?"

"QUIRKS!" roared Izuku the stress finally making him lose what little control he had on his emotions. 

Everything came down to that simple factor. Quirks for good or for ill were the reason he couldn't go to heroes. Orichalcum in its natural state turned off the quirk factor. It had to be mined and forged by hand because of this. So few were able to do that and by the Fall the quirkless were numbering a few hundred thousand worldwide. They had been picked off one by one both by society and themselves. 

Reigning in his temper Izuku started again slower, "Quite frankly the fact that no one has figured it out yet astounds me. I know Orichalcum isn't much to look at but it is what separates us. I can handle it in its pure form while 80% of the world's population cannot. If I had the training I could forge it into weapons like the knife you have. 80% of the world's population cannot. So far there is nothing in this world that can destroy Orichalcum. Forging it takes high levels of heat that most people cannot handle. To even damage a blade made from it you need another."

"A metal that can stop the quirk factor," murmured the hero quietly. 

Interestingly enough Izuku still held his attention. Most people would have gone to check the knife. Everything he had said about it was true. They tested everything to ensure it would not fail on them. 

Izuku planned on contacting an old informant on the streets who used to work for Alex. A man by the name of Giran had done work for his friend in the past. If one could pay or had information equal to what he was giving then you were in business. With any luck, he would be trading information for what he needed soon. 

Jeanist questioned carefully returning his attention to the boy, "How did you come across the metal? Why not share the finding?"

Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed, "You really aren't thinking things through, are you? People like you think you know everything. In reality, you're just as blind to what's happening as the masses. What would you say if I told you there was a boogeyman out there? A man who has lived for more than two centuries. A man who can take and give quirks."

Eyes widened in response. It seemed as if he had broken the hero with his questions. Even if he couldn't physically see it he knew the other's mouth was hanging open in shock. 

Jeanist recovered quickly from his shock, "That's not possible."

Izuku continued he discreetly removed the cuffs, "Unfortunately for the world it is true. To make matters worse he has a successor. My goal is to kill both of them before they can enact their plans. Otherwise, there won't be a future for the world. If you think I'm lying about the man or his powers go to Tsukauchi Naomasa. Tell him you want to speak of All For One and One For All."

"What makes you think I'll just let you go?"

Izuku laughed a harsh cold laugh, "You could keep me here but know if you do my partners will do whatever is necessary to get me back. Unlike the false brotherhood of heroes, we have bonds stronger than that of blood or words. We have seen things that would make your worst nightmares seem like child's play. I'll give you a choice. Let me go and I'll in touch or keep me here and risk a drawn-out fight with those who stand with me. So what do you choose?"

Jeanist raised a hand to rub at his eyes tiredly. It seemed as if he was seriously considering Izuku's words. 

Then he asked meeting Izuku's eyes again, "How do I know you will keep your word?"

Izuku held out the cuffs as he replied, "You dont but neither do I know that you won't tell the other heroes."

There was another long moment of silence between them. Then Jeanist sighed, "Your gear is behind my desk. If you're lying I will catch you again."

Izuku grinned as he nodded. As he went to grab his gear he lifted one of Jeanist's business cards. While it didnt have his personal number it would be a start. For now he had to return to Castle. Orion was no doubt out of his mind with worry.


	9. When one becomes three part 4

Izuku's POV 

Orion took his stunt in the burning buildings better than Izuku thought he would. The older man only lectured him for an hour for letting the exhausted vigilante go to bed. By the time he laid down the sun was just starting to rise. 

Somewhat against his will Izuku took it easy for the next week. Specifically he avoided going out on patrols and focused on the coding Orion was trying to teach him. 

Coding was a skill Alex had started to teach him but never finished. With his perchance of annoying heroes it would be an invaluable skill. So he studies and studied hard. Orion was the best hacker in CIRO even now he was unrivaled by those with tech quirks. 

While Izuku was learning and practicing his coding he occasionally caught Orion working on something else. The code in it seemed to be of photographic images but beyond that he didnt understand. 

Coding wasnt the only thing on his mind unfortunately. Orion had made the suggestion at bringing another into the fold. Specifically Bakugo Katsuki, his former best friend turned bully. If he still had the maturity that he did in the year leading up to the Fall Izuku wouldn't have such a hard time making the decision. 

The point was, however that Bakugo had the maturity of a fourteen year old. Unlike Izuku and the others he didnt have the memories of the Fall. If he answered Izuku's code, and that was a big if, Izuku would have to prove that he was telling the truth. 

Bakugo wasnt someone who would just take his word for it. Just like Alex he would need proof that what they were saying was true. Alex would be a little easier since he already knew Orion and what his quirk entailed. Izuku didnt have that same luxury with Bakugo. 

The decision either way shouldn't be made unless he was absolutely sure. Bakugo could very well turn them in the moment he heard they were vigilantes. Or he could listen to their explanation and proceed to call them lunatics and liars. 

So many risks and possibilities. Always a chance for something to go wrong. Out of everyone from the previous timeline Bakugo was the one he couldn't abandon. That was what made the decision for him. He would tell Bakugo but when was now the question. He could wait until Echo and Charlie finally arrived. Or he could push head long into it now. 

As the days passed though he grew increasingly restless. It was definitely time to return to patrols. If he didnt he was sure he would find a way to annoy someone that wasnt his favorite hero or detective. Annoying them was too easy. 

Even making plans to meet his old informant were being drawn out. Giran the old bastard set their meeting for the second saturday of next month. Unlike most of his other meeting he would not have the cover of night to help him. Giran set their meeting in the middle of the day. He would have to be cautious about where he chose to change into his vigilante gear. Otherwise he may just attract unwanted attention.

Orion grumbled about him returning to patrols but didnt try to stop him. Once he was geared up he took to the rooftops. Doing his usual runs and stretches ensured there was no lingering pains from the injuries. 

Criminals had gotten bolder in his absence. There were more on his route than was usual. Izuku took them down with ruthless efficiency before sending a message to Tsukauchi. Getting back into the swing of things was easy. It wasnt like he was running for his life. Or killing monsters that should have existed in the first place. 

Around two am he paused on a rooftop to catch his breath. So many criminals but no heroes. Given the area it wasnt unusual but he would have thought Eraser would be out. That man gave Izuku a run for his money at times. 

Izuku pulled out his phone and scrolled through all of his four contacts. It was sad to think he only had four phone numbers in his phone. Life of a quirkless he guessed. No one wanted to be around someone like him. 

His finger hesitated over Bakugo's name. He could call the other boy now while things quiet. Or just message him given that it was two in the morning. A message would probably go over better than a phone call. Again he hesitated before he typed out the code for time travel. 

Izuku: Shadow Spire

There was a slight tugging on his clothes signaling he was about to have company. Jeanist wanted to play? Maybe he should run and allow the other to chase him. 

Jeanist called out as he came up onto the rooftop, "Dont run. I'm not here to fight you."

Izuku leaned back on his heels as he questioned, "So you talked to them then? You work faster than I thought you would, Best Jeanist."

"Delta," began the hero before a contemplative look crossed his face and he continued, "I'll listen with an open mind. I'm pretty sure All Might and his friend only gave me the very basics of what that old villain did. According to All Might however the boogeyman died in their battle four years ago."

Before Izuku could reply his phone buzzed with a phone call. He felt the blood drain from his face as he saw the caller id. Bakugo got back to him a lot faster than he thought the other would. 

So tell them together or separate? Did he trust Jeanist enoough to share his secrets right now? That was the current question. If they didnt believe him it would make for an interesting escape again.

A decision that was once again made for him. There was a recognizable sound of a bowstring being released. He barely was able to push the hero out of the way in time. Before Jeanist had recovered Izuku's eyes were searching the darkness. 

Two figures dressed in similar attire to him dropped onto the rooftop. Izuku greeted with a small smile, "Echo, Charlie. It's good to see you both again."

Echo greeted in return his French accent coming out more than what he remembered, "Delta you are a pain in the ass to track. Why are you so difficult to track down?"

Izuku replied with a grin, "Well if I made it easy for you I would have to deal with more heroes. I have to wonder if you figured out my patrol or just followed the string of criminals, Jeanist?"

"A bit of both. Are you going to answer my questions?"

That got him sharp looks from his two brothers in arms. Discretely shot a message to Bakugo asking him to meet him near Castle. 

Then to Jeanist, Izuku said coldly, "No. I'm not going to answer your questions tonight. You may have let me go for a time but I dont trust you enough to tell all of our secrets. Earn our trust and then we will talk. Until then know this. The boogeyman is still out there. No matter what All Might says."

The fibers of Izuku's clothes tightened again. Not a moment later another arrow was drawn by Echo aimed at Jeanist's knee. 

Charlie growled, "I wouldnt if I were you, hero. While we may have been separated for awhile. We are still extremely protective of each other."

It took a moment but eventually the fibers released him. Another glance at Jeanist told him what he wanted to know. With a nod towards the hero he took off running again. No words needed to be exchanged between him and his team. Even being apart for several months they still remembered. 

Once he was sure they wouldnt be followed Izuku redirected them towards Castle. Patrol was done for the night he needed to talk to Bakugo. Unsurprisingly his ex best friend was already there when they arrived. His head snapped up as the three of them dropped onto the streets. 

Wary red eyes watched them. Izuku could see Bakugo sparking off his quirk in warning. From the way Echo and Charlie stiffened they noticed it too. 

Izuku said reaching up to turn off his modulator, "Bakugo it's me. Sorry about the sudden appearance but these two are my friends. They just arrived."

"What is this, Deku? You send a code in the middle of night and when I answer you come dressed as a vigilante," snapped the angry pomeranian. 

Glancing around them Izuku said, "Not here. There are too many ears on the streets. You can either come with us and get answers or not. Your choice."

"Prove you're Deku."

Izuku leaned back on his heels as he replied, "When you get into UA you want to intern with Best Jeanist. The reason for this is because you met him when you were five and he told you that he looked forward to seeing what kind of hero you became. You even got his autograph."

The anger seemed to drain out of Bakugo with his answer. It was one of the few times that the other had talked to Izuku without anger. Understandably the other had been so proud that he was told that he could be a hero. That the Number 8 hero at the time would watch for him. 

"You are Deku then. I'll follow you but try anything funny and I'll fucking blast you into next week."

Ah there was the Bakugo he knew. Foul mouthed and tempered but practical when it was required. He was curious to find out what Izuku knew. To find out how far in the future Izuku had come from. 

Leading Bakugo to Castle only took a few moments. They went in the back way not only to avoid unwanted attention but to give Orion a heads up. The back door had an alert that would signal Orion when it was used. They had agreed it would only be used if someone he wasnt 100% sure of was brought in. 

Pushing open the door he allowed the three to enter before him. Then he called out loud enough echo Echo through the building, "Orion I'm back with company!"

That received twin looks of disbelief from his partners. Yeah yeah he knew. Trusting others wasnt part of the plan. All plans flew out the window however when he turned back into a fucking thirteen year old. He survived his fight with Muscular because Orion was there to patch him up. They would need to accept Orion as he had come to. 

He led them up to the next level where Orion was typing away at the computer. Bakugo let out a low hiss at the sight of the sleeping bags and gear laying around. The sound made the older man turn around to face them. 

He greeted with a tired smile, "Welcome Charlie and Echo. Delta here speaks quite highly of both of you."

Echo stated his eyes widening with surprise, "Stephen Bartowski codename Orion. Never thought I'd be seeing you again. Arent you supposed to be on the run from CIRO and the Ring?"

Orion flinched at the use of his real name but answered, "Just Ring but they have members everywhere," then to Bakugo he said, "You're not what I was expecting Ground Zero."

"What the fuck is going on here?"

Izuku sighed as he dropped his hood and pulled off his cowl, "Find anywhere you'd like to sit, Bakugo. This explanation will take awhile."

**Author's Note:**

> Discord server if you want to hang out: https://discord.gg/R2Esj9w


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